HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi – At its monthly meeting held today at Leeward Community College, the UH Board of Regents (BOR) approved an agreement between the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the City and County of Honolulu to implement the Student U-PASS Transportation fee of $20 per semester to provide a bus pass for unlimited use by students on all bus routes.

The request to establish the new mandatory fee was made by the Associated Students for the University of Hawaiʻi (ASUH) and supported through the vice chancellor for students.

“We are excited about this new partnership between UH Mānoa and the City to create a low-cost and environmentally-friendly transportation option for our students. We applaud the hard work and creative skills of the UH Mānoa students who have collaborated on this important partnership with the City and County of Honolulu,” said Francisco Hernandez, UH Mānoa vice chancellor for students.

The fee of $20 would be assessed to undergraduate and graduate students each semester, regardless of credit load, beginning in spring 2010. The two-year pilot program will run during the fall and spring semesters through 2011. A two-month opt-in summer pass will be available at a discounted rate for June and July.

The terms of the agreement were developed between the Department of Transportation Services, City and County of Honolulu and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Office of Student Affairs with input and support by ASUH.